Rodentia; The Order Of Rodents
The first rodents arose approximately 60 million years ago and though today they are mainly small mammals some of the ancestors of modern rodents weighed 200kg and were 2.5m long. The word 'Rodentia' comes from the Latin verb 'rodere', meaning 'to gnaw' and this characteristic distinguishes them from other mammals. There are 3 sub-orders of rodents which are divided based upon the jaw system; specifically the muscles that control their jaws and how they gnaw.
These 3 sub-orders are the Sciuromorpha (squirrels), Myomorpha (mice & rats) and Hystricomorpha (porcupines & cavies) - only the first 2 sub-orders are part of the UK ecosystem. In total, rodents comprise 41% of all known mammal species. In total there are 2,100 species, 15 of which inhabit the UK, although 7 of these have been introduced over time. 11 rodent species are known in Cheshire.
These 3 sub-orders are the Sciuromorpha (squirrels), Myomorpha (mice & rats) and Hystricomorpha (porcupines & cavies) - only the first 2 sub-orders are part of the UK ecosystem. In total, rodents comprise 41% of all known mammal species. In total there are 2,100 species, 15 of which inhabit the UK, although 7 of these have been introduced over time. 11 rodent species are known in Cheshire.